Of Thunderstorms, Homemade Stews and Nephews
by BrindyB
Summary: Thorin and Company get held up in a dense, rainy forest when a pony falls in a muddy trench. Too focused on rescuing the pony, they leave themselves vulnerable. What they don't realize is that they are not the only ones in the forest... will be a 2 or 3 shot only. I am open to suggestions!
1. Chapter 1

The fourteen of the Company walked along through a large forest. Their journey had but barely begun. Gandalf rode upon his large horse, while the dwarves and small hobbit rode shaggy, sturdy mountain ponies. Kili and Fili rode near each other at all times. Thorin rode silently in the back, bringing up any slow ponies and ensuring everyone was safe. Bifur and Bofur laughed at their brother, Bombur, who seemed to have the worst time trying to stay on his horse. Naturally, the pony was not having the greatest time holding the large dwarf either.

Riding with high hands and a stiff back, Bilbo rode beside Bofur. The dwarf entertained his small friend with stories and songs. He was the only dwarf thus far to accept the young hobbit to their group.

As they rode, most of the beings in the group were lost in thought. Thorin was quiet and stoic, yet alert to what was going on around him. The older dwarves, Balin and Dori, spoke amongst themselves, mostly, of stories that few others understood. Old Bifur spoke nothing, as always, but seemed content to just be himself.

Kili was in the midst of some sort of daydream when he suddenly perked up. Sensing a difference, his pony did also. Fili, who had been trying to entertain his young brother with a tale of fictitious adventure, noticed also.

"Is something bothering you, Kili?" he questioned.

"I am not sure," the young dwarf replied. "There seems to be a bit of a disturbance nearby."

"Something foul?"

Kili shrugged. "I know not."

Clouds moved in and began to lay small pitters of weak raindrops on the Company. None of them, minus the small hobbit, cared too much. However, as they had been going forward since early dawn, Thorin soon called them to a stop.

"We will rest for a short time," he said simply, getting off his pony. "Bofur, set a fire." The equines were stripped of their packs and saddles, let to graze and rest.

The musical dwarf spared no time is starting a fire, shielded by the trees from the rain. Everybody gathered around and shared rations of lunch. Gandalf joined many of the dwarves in having a smoke, showing his expertise in blowing smoke shapes.

"How are you fairing, Bilbo?" Balin asked in the silence. Thorin's glare was cold to the hobbit, but the inviting eyes of some of the others urged him to speak.

"I am doing fine, thank you," Bilbo smiled awkwardly. In truth, of course, he was freezing. He was not nearly as bundled nor as "thick" as the dwarves. He was tired, cold and had a terrible case of saddle-sores. But, knowing how Thorin already thought him to be a burden, he refused to reveal any of that.

Fili noticed his brother, still seeming distracted. Ori seemed to notice also, sitting beside Kili.

"Is there something wrong, Kili?" the small dwarf asked. He and the young dwarf had a slight bond- though Ori was not nearly as young as Kili, he was the smallest of the dwarves and often a quieter one. He admittedly like Kili and Fili- their humor and energy drew him close.

" 'Not sure," Kili said vaguely. "Perhaps I am merely tired."

"What is it?" Thorin spoke. His stern voice offered no room to argue- Kili shrunk back slightly.

"I believed I saw something in the forest- I am sure it was nothing."

"Where?"

"Not a hundred feet from where we rode, only a few minutes back."

"Why did you say nothing?"

Kili did not seem to know himself. "Did not know if it was just my mind or the rain, nothing became of it. I heard nothing to accompany it."

Thorin seemed content, for the time, to accept that answer. The dwarves continued to eat in most silence- few spoke and it was quiet in the forest. Animals were in their homes, waiting out the storm.

* * *

Few minutes after they had eaten, Thorin ordered that they try to move on further. They did not make it far, though.

As they rode, the ponies had trouble keeping their footing in the slick conditions. An awkward hill combined with the mud and rain was one pony's downfall- the one that held Dori. The pony slipped and fell to it's side, struggling and squeeling as it flailed. Dori tried to jump away from the animal, but found his leg pinned beneath the animal. He reached to the pony's ears, rubbing it and hushing the the animal. The Company stopped, concerned. Thorin jumped from his pony, but stayed his distance so as not to spook the pony further.

With Dori patting the animal and speaking to it, the pony stilled. The dwarf managed to wriggle away from it, before pulling the pony's head up, trying to get it to it's feet. In the end, due to the muddy pit that the pony had fallen down into, it required Thorin, Dwalin, Gloin _and _Dori to steady the pony on it's feet. The animal was caked in mud, panting and heaving nervously. Dori continued to sooth the animal as the dwarves looked around.

"We can climb back out..." Thorin muttered. "But how to get the pony?"

By now, of course, everybody had stopped and dismounted their ponies. They all tied the animals on the other side of the trail, so as not to add another horse to the muddy disaster.

"Everybody stay up there, for now," Thorin ordered. "Does anybody have a few ropes?"

"I have one," Bombur offered. He took it from his pack.

"Only one?" Thorin questioned.

"Seems that way," Balin replied.

In the commotion, no one could hear their new visitor. They paid no mind to the sound of hooves trotting along the muddied trail. Of course, seeing a group on the trail, the rider stopped the old grey horse and waited. None of the dwarves, nor hobbit nor even the wise Gandalf noticed their audience of one. They were focused on trying to get the pony out of the ditch, already having to yell over the rain.

What they didn't realize was that they had left themselves vulnerable. They were about to regret it.

* * *

NYEH HE HE HEEEE i love endings like this :D

This will only be a 2 or 3 shot (unless people request more!). I have a bit more typed up, and I would really appreciate a little review-boost-happy-goodness!

Seriously, for those who fav/follow without reviewing, I will find you and force you to watch 24 hours of ASPCA commercials.

Seriously.

:)


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again! I wasn't going to update until Sunday, but things are going to be busy with the nice weather and working with the horses, so this will do :) I never expected such a great reaction to this, like, seriously! That made my day! This story will likely be longer than I said it would be, maybe 4 to 5 chapters instead.

PS- I did a bit of research with this story, and because I am working on a Lord of the Rings chapter fic (which I would be honoured for some of you to check out!), so I've been dabbling in Tolkien's work a lot! I chose Dori to be the one on the fallen pony because he is described to be a very kind dwarf, "despite the grumbling." He is one that (in the books) risks himself to save Bilbo at least once. I like him :)

Also, though a reviewer mentioned this, I _did _chose Kili to notice the follower due to his excellent eyesight. Cudos, Feathered Filly, for knowing that already! So, as for the "age" thing, as I'm sure it will be brought up-

Tolkien states that Fili is younger than Kili, yet their recorded birth years puts Kili as younger. I chose to make Kili youngest. The Hobbit movie suggested that Ori may be the youngest, and he is most certainly the shortest (likely third youngest), Tolkien stated that Fili and Kili were youngest by quite a gap compared to all the others.

As for horse-related things, I am an experienced horse trainer/rider myself, and have many times had a horse slip and fall while I was riding, so I kind of based that off what I remember from events like that :)

Review Replies-

Guest- hey! you need to get an account, I wanted to PM you :) Lucky for you, this story will feature several "flashbacks" from Fili and Kili's childhood. Go ahead and send me a message/review with ideas and I would love to write them. Thanks for the compliments on my writing style, I am actually a published author already! Oh, and try to avoid posting spoilers in the reveiws, because some people have only seen the movie and don't know what happens beyond it ;) Thanks for the review!

Feathered Filly- Thank you _SO MUCH _for the review! I love long ones! You have obvious knowledge in Tolkien's characters, as he _did _state that Fili and/or Kili had the best eyesight. Here is a cookie for that! *hands you cookie* I am a huge Fili/Kili/Thorin family bonding fan, and that is the main focus of this story! And yes, don't you hate fav-and-runners? As for suggestions, I'm open to suggestions to story ideas and suggestions in this story :)

Queen of War- Hello! Yes, this story will focus a lot on Thorin and his nephews, but I do also love to look at the other dwarves. I admit, I fell in love with Ori's face, for some reason!

C. Palmer- Thanks, I choose to look into Ori's thoughts because of their descriptions via Tolkien. The "thing" watching the dwarves is not likely what you think it is... MWAHAHAHA :D and of course, there shall be h/c, as always! I wish I could put more genre labels on these things!

Peridot Tears- Hello! Yep, the end of the world is when I get the nerve to write a Hobbit fic ;) and I am terribly sorry for the repetitiveness. I am actually very annoyed by this normally, but I found that writing a fic at 1AM apparently makes me forget to re-read things... ;) Hope you stick around!

Also thanks to anon, Sarah, BriGranger1990, HaterofClifHangr (lol love the name), Mzzmarie, vampyfreak, Jasperslittlesister, PrincessMnMz (does the Mn mean Minnesota? that's where I live!), ShinigamiSaisei and justiceintheworldofhp-yeahright (hey, nice to see you found this fic too!) for the other reviews! Sorry I can't reply to them all, but I've NEVER had this problem before... I'm flattered!

BeginningLineBegins

The dwarves did not realize that they had left themselves vulnerable. However, their small audience did. Behind the first rider was a second and third, who brandished many weapons.

"Firmar!" the first rider cried. The second jerked up, seeing what his companion meant. A lone warg, hackles raised and teeth bared, was prowling near the dwarves. None had noticed yet, as it was still at least one hundred yards off, but the three riders saw.

The shout was just enough to get the dwarves' attentions, causing them all to whip around and see the Warg. Knowing his cover was blown, the beast snarled and pounced on the nearest dwarf. Kili's mind only registered the crushing weight on his back, the most foul breath he ever smelled and the incoherent shout of his brother.

Kili lay on his stomach, the warg snarling behind him and blowing hot breath on the dwarf's neck. Kili was tense, terrified and trying to reach for a weapon. He knew, though, that it was hopeless. He was pinned and there was no way for him to fight his way out. The creature's claws dug into his shoulders, bending his armour.

Firmar wasted no time in whipping out his bow and notching an arrow. His aim true, his arrow sunk into the beast's skull, killing it instantly. The beast dropped dead beside a very shocked Kili. Fili rushed to his brother's side, helping him up. He surveyed the younger dwarf, asking rapid-fire questions due to panic.

"I am okay," Kili promised, putting his hands on his brother's shoulders. Fili's face dropped to relief, and he sighed. He yanked his brother into a tight, quick embrace.

The Company's attention turned instantly to the strangers. They all shot to their feet, watching the strangers warily. Many set their hands on their weapons.

"Easy, now," the first rider said, urging the horse forward. "We are friends."

Firmar heard the tone, knowing that it was also directed at him, and put his weapon away. The first two jumped from their horses. The third, coming forward, showed that he had a small child in front of him, so he and the child stayed mounted.

The first rider pulled his hood back. To the shock of the Company, they found that she was a woman. She appeared to be only twenty five at most, but had eyes that held misty wisdom in their hazel depths. Her blonde hair was braided back from her elegant face.

Her partner walked beside her, with a stance that said of their relationship. He was a bit taller than the stocky woman, a fairly toned man with a working man's face. His hair was to his shoulders, curly and brown. His bright blue eyes were bright and curious.

The dwarves were not a trusting folk, and these were no exception. Gandalf stood slightly in front of Bilbo in a protective way.

"Your pony, is she stuck?" the woman asked, staying back wisely.

"Yes'm, he's fallen," Bofur called respectfully. The woman nodded, turning to the third rider.

"Vaddyn, toss me your ropes," she called. She and her partner pulled one rope from each of their saddles also.

"We can help," the curly-haired man offered.

"My name is Belawen," the woman said, hefting the ropes and walking forward fearlessly. Her partner was understandably a bit less trusting, while the other two stayed back completely.

"I am Firmar," the man offered. "This is my wife, my son, Vaddyn-" he gestured to the young man of around eighteen on the horse- "and my nephew, Toric."

None of the dwarves seemed to know how to react, though Thorin looked tight with nerves as he watched the two approach. So, Gandalf took charge.

"My name is Gandalf," he said, bowing. "This is Bilbo. The others are Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Ori, Nori, Dori, Balin, Dwalin and Thorin." He said these, pointing to each in their respective place.

Belawen and Firmar looked at each other for a second.

"Ah, yes, well... we will likely forget those, many apologies in advance," Firmar admitted, earning a chuckle from a few dwarves and the hobbit.

"Help them from up here, Firmar," Belawen said, gesturing to the folk who had not jumped into the trench. Without further ado, she slid down into the mud with the others. Thorin said nothing, but watched her every move like a hawk.

Belawen stroked the pony's face gently, speaking soothing words to it. The pony nodded it's head into her hands gently.

"Be brave now, little one," she said, giving it one more pat and a piece of carrot from her pocket. She drew her hood back up to keep the rain off her hair.

The ones above threw the ends of each rope down, holding the others while the dwarves and woman tied them to the pony. One was tied on each side of the pony's bridle, one on each stirrup of the saddle and the longest was thrown around the pony's back legs to encourage it to walk.

On the count of three, the group in the trench pushed at the pony and manhandled it's way up the hill. The pony slipped many times, but trusted the others enough not to kick out at them.

At the top of the hill, Firmar and several dwarves grappled at the pony and pulled it to sturdy land. By the time they were safe, the pony and all the helpers were panting.

Belawen stood by the pony, stroking it's muddy neck softly. "Are you okay, little guy?" she asked kindly.

To the amazement of each dwarf, the woman had a way with the animals. She also did not seem to notice that she and her husband towered over everybody in the Company- minus Gandalf.

The pony kept bobbing it's head, snorting and keeping all it's weight on only three legs. Belawen knelt by it, putting a hand on it's leg and running it up and down.

"He's pulled some muscles," she said. "You should rest him for a night. We have room in our home, if you would like to stay out the storm and rest."

"We must keep moving," Thorin said stubbornly.

"Then you will be one horse short," Belawen replied, her voice edging slightly. "It would not be on my good conscious to let an injured pony be worked."

Thorin and Belawen met eyes for a tense moment, Firmar standing behind his wife protectively. Balin came up behind his good friend, setting a hand on his shoulder.

"It would be good to rest," he suggested.

"Only for one night," Thorin sighed.

During all of this, Vaddyn and Toric had been off to the side, though the young Toric became bored easily. Vaddyn and he jumped off the horse, coming closer to the Company while they were pulling the pony from the ditch. However, as they decided what to do, Vaddyn suddenly realized something.

"Toric?" he called, spinning in circles, his shaggy black hair whipping water as he did. "Toric!"

This gained the attention of everybody else.

Belawen's eyes darted around. "Toric?"

"Where is he?" Firmar asked his son.

"He- I swear, he was just here!"

"Toric!"

The Company watched helplessly as Belawen's gathered exterior faded as she tried to locate her young nephew. He was only the age of five, the typical curiosity often getting the best of him.

"He went North," Thorin suddenly called. Unnoticed, he had gone to where he last saw the boy before he and Belawen had butted heads. The muddy tracks of a child led North.

"The river," Belawen gasped. She broke from it after a moment, rushing to her horse. She swung into the saddle and went to race off. Firmar and Vaddyn made to follow, but not before Gandalf called to the dwarves, "Ori, Bilbo, you two follow slowly with the injured pony. The rest, after them!"

Everybody, minus the two with their ponies, jumped onto their mounts and followed the forest dwellers as they ran to the aforementioned river.

AnotherLineSmileyFace

Belawen pushed her horse as fast as safely possible through the muddy conditions. The small river was not far, but through dense brush. Her husband and son followed, flanked by dwarves and a wizard. When they reached the river, she saw just what she dreaded- Toric, doing what he loved to do at the river. However, this was trying to cross and visit the horse pasture that lay right on the other bank.

The swollen river was proving to be a problem. The young boy tried his hardest to find stepping stones to cross on, but found himself stranded. When the group rushed in to help him, he was standing on the rock, crying.

"Toric!" Belawen shouted, leaping from her horse. The others followed suit. Firmar grabbed her wife's arm when she made to run after the child.

"No," he said sternly. "Stay here."

Before anyone, including Thorin, could say anything, however, Fili ran for the river. Kili followed.

"Fili, no-!" he cried, but to no avail. His brother began hopping across the rocks, careful not to slip, making his way to the frightened child. Toric began crying harder, seeing a stranger coming for him.

"Toric, honey, it's okay!" Belawen yelled. "He's a friend!"

Hearing that, Toric nodded, sniffling, reaching his arms out for Fili. The dwarf swept the boy up, the shivering child throwing his arms around his neck and burying his face in the blonde-haired man's shoulder. Fili turned to return to shore.

On the banks of the swollen river, everyone waited in suspense. Thorin stared at Fili with a combination of pride and anger. Kili was afraid to even blink, knowing that his brother was in terrible danger, trying to save this child.

The next moments seemed to happen in slow motion for Fili's young brother and stern uncle. He was trying to find the next stone to step on when he heard Kili's panicked shout. He only had seconds to look up the river. He saw a rising, monster wave barreling towards him. The only thing he could do was clutch the child closer and brace for impact.

MWAHAHA IT ENDS THERE :D

just kidding. There will be another chapter in a day or two. With Christmas, I'm not sure how much I will get done! And, I'm happy to say, I managed to list all 13 dwarf names without looking them up. I'm so proud :D

Review, please? If not, I will find you and put you to work mucking the stalls in my barn (in the snow MWAHA)


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello guys!** **I'm SOOOO happy to see that this story has been well received! :) It's got more views and followers than my Lord of the Rings story, which has been posted for a lot longer! (PS- if you want to check that story out, I would be honoured!) Hope everyone had a safe and happy holidays! I got to take my racing horse to a heated indoor arena (I live in Minnesota lol, so I have to travel during the winter to ride) and stay for a weekend of riding :D What did you guys do for the holidays?**

**Review Replies-**

**PrincessMnMz- Haha I just love the cliffies! :3 Nice to know you don't hate me! Hopefully you will like this chapter! I ended it with a slightly less suspenseful bit!**

**Feathered Filly- Hello again! Haha I agree totally with you, fan fiction is a great way to say "what didn't happen" or "my version of what I wish had happened." This story will give my input of the "ending" in the final chapter, only one or two chaps away! I love that you are okay with Belawen and Firmar. I love adding characters to stories, but I'm also very nervous because I know it is tough to get it "just right." Thanks for the review! OH and what style did/do you ride? I do gaming/Western with my one horse and am training the other for Showjumping.**

**FreakingZebra- You. Your name. Your icon. Your awesome ALL CAPS EXCITEMENT. seriously, thanks :) Some people hate the "all caps" thing (and I do, when it is in other places) but I Love it in reviews! I love knowing people are excited over my stories!**

**Another thanks to TheName'sBob (love the name :D ), Filikili lover, PheonixGrifyndor, MzzMarie, vampyfreak, justiceintheworldofhp-yeahright, Marta, and Guest.**

**ONWARD AND FORWARD!**

The wave hit Fili and Toric like a charging Oliphant. Fili tightened his grip on the child's coat and felt them both being swept off the rock they were perched on. The dwarf did not know which was was up, where the surface was or why his arms felt so heavy. The icy water froze his chest and made his head dizzy.

On the shore, Kili watched the wave approaching, unable to do anything to help his brother. The wave whipped Fili and Toric out of sight, causing Kili's heart to skip. He moved as if to dive into the river, but found his uncle holding his arm back.

"No!" Kili protested, though he was no match for Thorin's strength. He was tossed back to Balin, who held the dwarf back again.

Kili continued to protest, but Balin gave him a stern glare.

"Your uncle does not need two nephews to rescue," he told Kili. "Get blankets from the saddles, those boys will be cold when they get back to land."

Finally understanding, Kili reluctantly rushed to the nearest pack-bearing pony and began unrolling blankets.

Thorin was at the edge of the turbulent waters, his keen eyes scanning for any sign of his nephew and the young human.

When Fili's blonde head burst through the surface, everybody rushed down river to keep up. Fili gasped and sputtered, trying to keep breath in his lungs despite the paralyzing cold. Toric was clinging weakly to his arm, his little lungs rasping. He tried to swim, but his thin legs were cramping and numbing to the point of uselessness.

Fili could hear nothing over the sound of the water. He finally found purchase on a shallow spot, just shallow enough that he could push off the rocky bottom. It was then that he saw his uncle, tailed by a few other dwarves and the human men, running along the shore. With a grunt of exasperation, Fili managed to grab onto a protruding rock with one hand, hauling Toric closer with the other. He was still far from shore, and he could feel the sharp contrast of warm, sticky blood on his chilly hand on the rock.

Thorin, Dwalin, and a few of the other strong dwarves grabbed for something to reach Fili. Gandalf offered his staff, just barely long enough to reach Fili's body. The dwarf's eyes were wide and fearful, contemplating the lifeline. To let go of the rock, he risked being swept away again, or having his life saved. Hearing poor Toric struggling to breathe, Fili drew as deep an inhale before letting go. He lunged for the staff, barely grabbing hold before the wave threatened to take him again. Fili cried out as his shoulder was pulled brutally against the river. The dwarves, men and wizard heaved until the two were just close enough.

Thorin let go of the staff and ran for his nephew, hauling the dwarf and child up by Fili's coat shoulders. Fili struggled to stand, but found his numb legs unable to do anything useful. On the rough, cold rocks of the shoreline, he collapsed and shook.

Kili ran to his brother with the blankets and spare jackets. Belawen, Vaddyn and Firmar did the same, rushing to the young Toric.

Thorin hauled his nephew into a sitting position, patting his back and speaking to him. Kili held onto his brother's arm and spoke to him, keeping his eyes on his brother.

Firmar cradled young Toric against his chest, rubbing his back and urging him to cough. The young boy's raspy breaths turned to hacks that shook the child's frame. The coughs turned to gasps, but the boy was breathing slightly easier. Belawen and Vaddyn wrapped him in warm blankets.

Fili coughed water, unable to draw breath. Water spewed from his mouth and nose, and he could not control the spasming muscles. He ended up coughing so hard that he vomited water and bile, his younger brother holding his hair away. When he finally relaxed, Fili was shivering uncontrollably. Thorin wrapped his thick fur coat around the dwarf's quivering shoulders.

"Come, our house is close," Belawen said, swinging into the saddle on her mare. Vaddyn hopped on his sturdy mare also, while Firmar jumped on his horse with Toric close to him. By now, the other dwarves and their injured pony had caught up. Everyone leapt on a mount and followed the humans.

ThisIsALineAndILoveIt

The horses came loping up to an old farm house, sitting beside a large, open barn and pasture.

"Vaddyn, get the ponies settled," Belawen commanded. Her son nodded quickly, steering his horse to the barn. Each person left their steed in the barn to be cared for. A few dwarves stuck around to help the young man while the rest filed into the house.

"Go ahead and take him to the guest room, right there," Belawen said, gesturing for Thorin and Kili to take their soaked relative to a small, private room with a small bed. Firmar took Toric to the boy's room to be changed and dried.

It did not take long to get Fili's spare clothing to him, though the dwarf refused to be coddled. He struggled slightly, but changed and dried himself in private. Already, his shivering lessened by the time the Durin three rejoined the rest. Fili slowly came to a higher coherency. Kili and Thorin stayed with him.

All of the other dwarves, plus Bilbo and Gandalf, were resting in a large, comfy sitting room. Vaddyn returned with the remaining dwarves. The man proceeded to light a fire in the fireplace to warm the room. The visitors all sat on chairs or sofas, though some did not have room and sat on their bedrolls on the floor.

Balin had quickly taken charge since he knew Thorin was preoccupied. He made sure everyone was comfortable before looking for the humans. Toric and Firmar had yet to return, so he looked for Belawen. He found her in the small kitchen.

She had nineteen cups set out on the countertop. She had a pot of water over a little fire to heat. The young woman hummed quietly as she went cup to cup with a pitcher of powder. She put a scoop of the brown, dusty ingredient in each mug. Turning, she went for another bowl and noticed Balin. She jumped for a second, then relaxed.

"Oh, sorry, I did not mean to startle you," Balin apologized.

"No, do not be sorry," Belawen replied. "I am a bit jumpy."

"I came to offer a bit of help, if I may," offered the dwarf, stepping forward.

"Of course, you're too kind... um...?"

"Balin," the elder dwarf said, walking to the counter.

"Take that bowl," Belawen pointed, "And put a scoop of sugar in each cup."

Balin did as instructed, though with slight difficulty. He could barely see over the counter, let alone into each glass. However, he managed to not spill any sugar as he helped. Belawen added a splash of milk to each cup, then took the steaming water to each. She stirred each and took a sip of one, making a satisfied _mhmm _when she tasted the cocoa._  
_

"Perfect. Would you mind helping me bring them out?"

Balin nodded, taking a few cups off the counter. Belawen also took an armful. Upon entering the living room, Belawen was pleased to see everybody settled and conversing like normal. The dwarves were a rowdy bunch, but the woman found it entertaining. They told stories or sang songs, colour returning to their faces as they warmed up. Her nephew sat on her husband's lap, barely shivering anymore. He smiled as Bofur told him some sort of tale. Vaddyn stood to the side, amused. He was accustomed to his parents inviting random travelers into the house.

Thorin also stood by, stoic as he watched his company. He was, of course, still on edge from the day's events. Fili and Kili sat by each other, still warming up. The fire had brought the room to a comfortable temperature.

Each visitor took their mug of cocoa gratefully. Belawen came to the Durin men last. Balin and a few other dwarves watched to see her interactions with Thorin. The woman risked taking the mugs to him herself, despite his cold exterior. Fili took his and immediately took a long, pleasing sip. Kili took his, nodding to Belawen with an innocent smile, urging Belawen to smile widely back. Standing behind his nephews, leaning against a wall, was Thorin Oakenshield. Belawen offered the cup to him, still smiling.

Thorin looked back, completely still. He took the offered mug with a polite "thank you." He could not resist the slightest of smirks, not even noticeable to someone who was not searching. The woman reminded him quite a lot of his late sister, Dis. He often thought of her when he looked at his nephews, which he had taken into his care upon her death. Their eyes were quite akin to their mother, and also their reckless and humorous attitudes. He saw the same in Belawen, the humor and fighting spirit that he remembered of his sister.

Yet, still, Thorin did not let down his guard. As it grew later, the dwarves began to quiet down, one by one. They were spread throughout the sitting room and nearing hallways. They laid upon their bedrolls and extra bedding that Firmar and Belawen kept on hand.

Thorin stayed alert, listening as the dwarves continued to wind down, telling stories and listening as Bilbo told stories of his ever-dreadful relatives, the Sacksville Bagginses. Balin approached his friend.

"You must be tired," he offered, seeing the darkness of Thorin's eyes. "You should rest. We are safer here than the forests."

"I do not believe we are truly safe," Thorin replied vaguely. "I do not hold to trusting humans, nor strangers at that."

"These _humans,_ though some can be undesirable, are sheltering us as complete strangers."

"That is what worries me. Many would not open their home freely."

Balin was quiet for a second. He had not honestly considered the possibility of the humans having ill purposes. They were down a pony, then a dwarf, and needed shelter. He assumed that they could be trusted. The years of moving about and having to restart their lives had seeded distrust in both himself and Thorin, yet he had found a certain comforting air around Firmar and Belawen.

Now, though, he found the distrust rising again. He considered it in his head while Thorin continued to stay alert.

**That's it! Just so you guys know before you review, Dis is Thorin's sister (Fili/Kili's mother). She is the only female dwarf to ever be named in any of Tolkien's work, but her life is not really written about, including her death. Her death date is not specified, nor cause of death, so I just say that she died and Thorin took over his nephews. There are other versions of the story, naturally, but that is what I chose :) I'm still open to suggestions in your reviews for this story and for anything you'd like me to write!**

**Happy 2013~!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey all! :) Here is the next (kind of final) installment!**

**Review Replies- **

**fiona. boyle .5832: Hello! Wow 7 times? that's amazing! I've seen it once but Youtube has a lot of the scenes for me to rewatch ;D**

**Freaking Zebra: yes, cliffhangers tend to cause a spontanious CAPS RAGE review ;)**

**C. Palmer: I have written a Fili/Kili kind of angsty mostly fluffy fic for you and my other faithful reviewers! Go to my profile to see :D**

**FeatheredFilly: yep, riding takes a lot of time! I switched to online schooling because I wanted more time with the horses. I am always open for prompts! PM me! And thanks for the awesome review as always!**

**Also thanks to little-miss-laughs-a-lot, PrincessMnMz, Purestrongpoem and anna012 (who actually reviewed just today, reminding me that I should update! Thanks!) for their awesome reviews. You guys keep me going!**

**Onward and forward!**

Not long after Balin and Thorin had spoken, some noises in the kitchen disturbed them. Everybody startled, sitting up. Balin peered around the corner to see Belawen. She put a pot of turkey broth over the fire and began chopping vegetables when she saw the dwarves, all awake.

"Oh, I am so sorry," she said hastily. "I did not mean to wake any of you."

"Do not be sorry," Bofur replied, peering in the doorway also. "What are you doing in the kitchen at such an hour?"

"Making a bit of stew," Belawen offered. "You all are in need of a warm, homemade meal. Figured you would all want to leave early in the morning, so I wanted to have it ready."

Balin glanced at Thorin as if to say "I told you so," but the dwarf prince did not look convinced.

Firmar came in through another door, shutting it quietly behind him. Behind the door was Toric's bedroom.

"Is he sleeping?" Belawen hissed.

"Yes, finally. He did not want to."

"Why?"

Firmar glanced to the dwarves- namely Ori, Fili, Kili and Bofur- and replied, "He liked his new friends."

Belawen just smirked, going back to cutting carrots. "I do not blame him."

There was a comfortable silence for a few moments before Firmar peered over at what Belawen was up to. "Bit late to be making stew, is it not?"

Belawen smirked a bit at her husband. "Not for us." She tilted her head towards the dwarves that still remained in the doorway.

Firmar planted a kiss on his wife's hair. "Do not stay up all night."

While Firmar retired to his and Belawen's bedroom, the visitors settled in also. Most were asleep, but Thorin sat awake, puffing smoke on his pipe.

Belawen continued making the hearty stew, throwing in carrots and potatoes. As she went to her icebox for meat to thaw, she felt a familiar numbing in her legs. For the moment, she ignored it.

Not long after, the meat was thawed and Belawen had it in a pan over the fire. She stirred and cooked it through, cutting it into cubes of tender burger. Her legs suddenly tightened again and she had to clutch the counter to keep from falling.

Belawen hurried to dump the cubes of beef into the stew, stirring it. She sniffed and deemed it fairly good. As she took a spoonful to test, her legs stiffened unexpectedly yet again. As she went careening towards the floor, she grasped out for purchase but found none. She collapsed hard onto the cool, unforgiving floor.

* * *

Thorin was the only one really alert in the next room. Gandalf had slipped away yet again and he was left in charge of his Company. He did not feel uncomfortable with the fact, but he still would have preferred the wizard stay closer to them.

As he mused over this, Thorin heard a metalic _clang _from the kitchen, shortly followed by a heavy _thump. _

Considering not doing anything, Thorin waited to see if he would hear anything further. When he didn't, he stood slowly. Walking into the doorway of the kitchen, he did not see Belawen. He stepped around the counter and saw the woman on the floor. She had a white-knuckle grip on her calves, brow furrowed with pain.

"What happened?" Thorin asked quickly. Belawen glanced up quickly. She smirked humorlessly.

"Could you fetch Firmar for me?" she asked. Thorin was too shocked to move for a moment. "Please?" she added.

Thorin nodded, his rushed footfalls echoed through the hallway. He rushed to the nearest closed door- unable to tell which room was which- and knocked. A few seconds later, Vaddyn opened the door.

"Is something wrong?" the young adult asked quickly, seeing Thorin's slightly shaken face.

"I know not. It is your mother."

Vaddyn, to Thorin's surprise, did not look shocked nor upset. He nodded swiftly, muttering a rapid "thank you" before he went to the door next to his own. He knocked, bringing his father to the door. Firmar seemed to read their minds. He gently pushed past the dwarf and his son to the kitchen. Belawen had yet to move, still squeezing her legs and cringing quietly.

"Bella," Firmar said, announcing his presence. His wife looked up, smiling with relief. Firmar sat across from her. "Relax, darling," he told her, though he didn't have to. It happened so often that it became routine.

Firmar just took Belawen's legs onto his and gently rubbed the tension away. Belawen slowly relaxed and ended up slumped and yawning. Firmar scooped her up and stood. Belawen did not care that she was being coddled- which she normally would- nor that the dwarves who had awoken could see what had happened. She was just tired.

Firmar met eyes with Thorin's intense ones, a silent thank you to the smaller man. Thorin returned the gaze in kind, allowing Firmar to pass through the hall back to the darkened bedroom.

Vaddyn moved into the kitchen and took the pot of stew from the fire and put out the flame. He set the stew to cool off and turned to see Thorin in the same spot, seeming a bit shocked, and a few other dwarves sitting up upon hearing the commotion.

"She is okay," he assured them. "That happens a lot."

Before anyone could question him, Vaddyn turned to see his father coming out of his bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him. Firmar came back to the kitchen.

"Sleeping?" Vaddyn questioned. His father nodded.

"Go back to sleep, Vaddyn," he suggested, not before setting a reassuring, proud hand on his son's shoulder. Vaddyn nodded thankfully and retired back to his room.

Firmar turned to see the dwarves. "I 'spose I owe you all a bit of an explanation."

* * *

In the sitting room, the dwarves who were awake sat up and listened to Firmar talk. The man was seated in a chair, mostly talking to Thorin. The others just listened.

"My wife has a disease of the muscles. They are deteriorating, getting weak very fast. First in her legs, as you saw. Next will be her arms. After that, her chest. Eventually, she will become too weak to breathe."

Firmar said this in a near emotionless tone, but Thorin could see that he had unshed tears in his eyes. He focused on his hands, which were folded in his lap. The Company saw him swallow before continuing.

"Vaddyn already knows his mother's fate, that much is clear, but Toric still does not."

Fili and Kili looked at each other, sympathy for the humans evident. They both had lost their parents, though their mother's death was hardest. Their uncle quickly took over their father's roles, but no one was there to fill their mother's. She passed unexpectedly. To know that your parent was dying and there was nothing to do but wait seemed much more painful.

Thorin also felt his heart being pulled by the knowledge. He had never really found a soulmate before Smaug took Erebor, nor after. However, he knew how hard it was to loose a loved one. He had lost his sister, father, grandfather and many friends in his life. Those he still held close were among the Company and always under his watch.

The Dwarf Prince also felt guilt in his mind. He had doubted their motives, thought that maybe the humans had ill intent. Now he was to learn that they were nothing if not generous, despite their hidden struggles? He did not miss the look Balin quietly tossed to him that undoubtedly said "I told you so" yet again.

The knowledge took each by surprise, yet a few had noticed slight differences in the female human. She seemed to struggle to keep her balance at times and occasionally seemed to need to stretch her legs.

"You should all get some rest, though," Firmar finally said. "I am sure it will be an early morning for you."

The other dwarves agreed, lying down and soon falling asleep. Firmar and Thorin did not move nor speak.

Finally, as all the others were sleeping, Thorin broke the silence quietly. "I am sorry about Belawen."

Firmar looked into the dwarf's eyes. "I am sorry for your loss also."

Thorin tilted his head in questioning. Firmar smiled a bit.

"Your nephews. I can tell they rely on you. It makes me assume that their parents have passed."

"They have," Thorin replied. "Their father first, he was very ill, and their mother in an accident a few years later."

"They have taken a liking to you. They look at you with admiration."

"I often wonder why," Thorin mused. "I do not feel like a good guardian to them. It seems that their mother did a much better job with them. Even Bofur, the dwarf with the hat, did great with them. Bofur's family are toymakers. My family did not value each other nearly as much as they valued riches."

"Do not worry," Firmar replied smoothly. "Those boys look at you like a king. It is obvious that they look up to you."

"Your nephew also," Thorin pointed out. "He is young but he already takes after you and your wife. How did he come into your care, if I may ask?"

"He is my brother's son. My brother and sister-in-law passed at the hands of orcs when their village was attacked. We found Toric buried in the rubble of the home, under his parents' bodies. He does not remember what happened, it was a couple years past."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the dying fire.

"I should let you sleep," Firmar decided, standing. He was careful not to trip over any dwarf or hobbit on the floor. Thorin stayed where he was.

"Of course," the prince replied, bowing his head slightly in respect. Firmar nodded back before maneuvering his way back to his bedroom.

Firmar entered the room with stealth in hopes of not waking his wife. He changed into comfortable pants before snuggling under the covers beside the sleeping Belawen. She sighed contently and rolled closer to him. Laying her head on his chest, she stifled a yawn.

"How are you?" Firmar risked to ask, figuring she was awake enough to answer.

"Fine," Belawen responded, though both knew it was not the truth. "Are they all settled?"

"Yes. They were worried for you." Firmar was quiet for a moment. "I am sure they will be happy to see you in the morning."

Just before the drifted off, Belawen replied with a yawn, "I doubt they will be here in the morning."

**That's the end! I have another chapter planned, but haven't typed it yet. I will be updating my Lord of the Rings story first to keep my schedule, but I will soon put up the final chapter if you guys wish for it :)**


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